MPN-13 & MPN-14 ASR/PAR Mobile Radar - Robins AFB, GA
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Many thanks to those of you who have sent photos to me for publication. I have received a lot of e-mail on them in the couple years that they have been on the Internet. If you know anyone in any of the Mobs, 1 through 5, please have them contact me and send photos. If you only have hard copies or negatives, I will be glad to scan them and send the original back to you. - Kirt Blattenberger Radar System Designations & Descriptions
Update: While sorting through boxes of archived items recently, I ran across a pile of folders full of U.S. Air Force documents for base assignment, shot records, TDY deployment, training, performance reports, etc.. A lot of paperwork accrued in four short years. For out-processing (1982), I was issued a checklist that required going all over the base (Robins AFB, Georgia) to collect files, turn in issued gear, and sign multiple statements regarding why I was making the unwise decision to not re-enlist. Very few papers survived my purge; only the most significant remain. Here are a few of those documents, arranged in chronological order of issuance. If you, too, were in the USAF, many will look familiar. JP Wilson sent this photo of the MPN-14
Says JP, "...stumbled across your 303x1 website quite by accident. Brought back many old memories (mostly good)! I was in the AF from 1976 – 1982, 3396 & 3398 School Squadrons at Keesler; 2001 CS, KI Sawyer AFB; 1986 CS, Zaragoza AB, Spain; and 2148 CS, Ellsworth AFB. I don't have many fond memories of the old 'Gin Andy' at ZAB...was pretty much a constant struggle to keep her flying but since ZAB was a 2 shift RAPCON, shared with the Spanish AF and supporting the range traffic for the Bardenas Reales Range (think I spelled that correct). We didn't get a lot of priority for new stuff and the almost constant winds beat her up pretty good. Here she is, in all of her glory. " MPN-13 Radar Photos Thanks to Elbert Cook for providing these photos.
AN/MPN-13 Radar Mobile Deployment - UHF/VHF Antennas | Gin Poles on Trailers -AN/MPN-13 Mobile Radar
Elevation PAR Antenna, AN/MPN-13 Mobile Radar | Positioning Trailers, AN/MPN-13 Mobile Radar
AN/MPN-13 Radar Mobile Deployment - USAF Crew MPN-14 Radar Shop Thanks to MSgt. Robert Bennett, aka "Gatorbob" for this group of great photos.
MOB School at the 5CCG, Robins AFB, GA | MPN-14 Radar at Site Alpha
MPN-14 Radar at Sculthorpe AB, UK | GPN-22 Radar at Kadena AB, Okinawa
FPN-16 Radar, Griffiss AFB, NY | MPN-14 at Carswell AFB, TX Sez Gatorbob: When I see the pictures and names it brings back a lot of old memories - long hours and hard work but some of the best times of my life I will never forget! Here a few names of Radar Leper Colony I remember:
FPN-16, Precision Approach Radar
These Pix Were Sent by Jim Carthew 2029 Communications Squadron at Ellsworth AFB, 1971-1974
MPN-14, TPS-75, MUTES Radars These Pix Were Sent by Jason Merrill
MPN-14k Equipment Trailer
AN/TPS-75 Radar in Kirkuk, Iraq "I believe to be an AN/TPN-18 US Marine model or the AN/TPN-8 series US Army model. This same antenna group and receiver-transmitter are mounted on a stable platform and used on US Navy amphibs as their precision approach radar AN/SPN-35 series." - thanks to Dallas Sharp Confirmation (thanks to John Hairell): "The TPN-8 and -18 looked exactly the same – the interior details differed. From the truck in the background and the base of the radar in the photo (which dates it) I can tell that the photo is of a TPN-18. The TPN-8 was developed by Gilfillan as a GCA radar in a joint USMC/Army effort. The Army used both the TPN-8 and the TPN-18, which was a more advanced model of the -8. I have never been able to ascertain whether the USMC ever officially used either of these radars, though I do know some of their air traffic controllers trained on them. The TPN-8 was used as a developmental base for the SPN-35 later used by the Navy. Both the TPN-8 and -18 were used in Vietnam. I was a US Army radar air traffic controller from 1977 to 1981 and was specifically trained on and used the TPN-18. As far as I know no TPN-8s were still in use by the mid-70s – they had all been upgraded to -18 status. The TPN-18 was still in use until relatively recent times. "
Multiple Threat Emitter Systems (MUTES) | Old Glory in front of Radar Antenna
Our man in the field - Jason M. | Radar Operator (Paul Kelley photo) MPN-14 from Robins AFB, GA, 5CCG These photos were graciously supplied by Don Hicks
MPN-14 Deployed to Loring AFB, ME | Commando Leader Don Hicks Calling In Backup (circa 1981, Don Hicks photo)
MPN-14 Deployed to Sonto Cano AB, Honduras | Don Hicks, Mark Belore, Mike Jasso, Steve Haynes, (circa 1988, Don Hicks photo) | J.D. Black, Danny Heagren (Don Hicks photo)
Steve Haynes, Desert Storm | Flight Checking the TPN-19 at Grand Forks (circa 1991, Don Hicks photos)
Ed Kopp, Joe Kast, Mark Wilson, Mike Shipton | Don Hick On MPN-14 Ops Trailer - prior to camouflage paint job Valdosta, GA (circa 1987-90, Don Hicks photo) | (circa 1978-79, Don Hicks photo)
MPN-14 RAPCON (circa 1980-82, Don Hicks photo) | TPN-19 PAR Radar (Don Hicks photo)
Dave Paschal | Don Hicks, Steve Haynes, Mark Wilson, Mike Shipton, Shaw AFB (Don Hicks photos)
Mark Goodrich, Dave Derman (Don Hicks photo) AN/MPN-14 Radar at Aviano AB, Italy Many thanks to Greg Bucchieri for sending these nice photos from his time in the USAF!
USAF AN/MPN-14 Radar System at Aviano AB, Italy c1970 | USAF Radar Clutter Fence at Aviano AB, Italy c1970. This system was freshly back from 'Nam duty. AN/FPN-47 at K.I. Sawyer AFB, Michigan
Right: S.A.G.E. as it looks today with FPN-47 radar antenna visible in background. The radar is now remotely operated out of Minneapolis Center RAPCON. Compliments of Jim Flinn SSgt. Dean Taylor Photos These photos were graciously provided by SSgt. Dean Taylor's family. If you served with SSgt. Taylor and can provide info about these photos, I will be glad to add it here.
MPN-13 at the 1966 AMA Nats?
The 1967 Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) National Aeromodeling Championships (Nats) was held at the Los Alamitos Naval Air Station in California. Up until the early, the U.S. Navy sponsored the AMA Nats as a means of introducing potential young aviators and maintenance guys to the exciting Navy life. At some point, there was not enough participation of youngsters in the Nats to make the Navy deem the expense worthwhile. Too bad. This picture came from the September 1967 American Modeler magazine.
Bien Hoa Air Base in Vietnam, c1967 ...from the Critical Past website (thanks to Don Hicks for the link)
Magazine Ad for Gilfillan: Gilfillan Delivers... a complete GCA radar every 48 hours! MPN-14 Mobile Radar System Pictures submitted by MSgt. Auford Neal, ret. MPN-14 Ops & Maintenance Trailers on Turntable
MPN-14 Mobile RAPCON
Ubon Maintenance Building | Ubon MPN-14 Installation AN/SPG-55B
Terrier Missile Fire Control Radar The fellow on the left with the beard is Jerry Johnson, and the fellow on the right is Richard Snyder. Is this a quintessential military dude shot or what? Aboard the USS Gridley (DLG-21), Tonkin Gulf (circa 1972) Gary Steinhour photo. MPN-14, S/N 88 Photos by Dan Miller
Thanks to Paul Mayo for this photo of his AN/MPN-14, S/N 88, deployed to Shaw AFB, around 1974. It has the first AN/TPX-42 Interrogator Set (IFF user interface) installed. Paul was not a member of the 5th, but worked at Tac Com (Langley) as a Tech Rep/Field Engineer for AIL on the TPX-42. He did a lot of the mods and TCTOs for the MPN-14s plus training and a couple of deployments (1973 to 1977). MPN-14 at RAF, Weathersfield, England (circa 1982, Dan Miller photo, below)
Thomas Sherrill, former USAF TPN-19 tech, working on FAA radar at Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport, supporting the FAA Eastern Service Area
AN/TPX-42 IFF System These images of the TPX-42 IFF equipment rack were obtained from the Adak, Alaska website. I usually do not make copies of images, but these are too rare to risk losing. All have links to the original full-size images. Description of the AN/TPX-42 PIDP IFF equipment (United States), Intelligence Systems - Direction-Finding, by Janes Here is a brief description of IFF systems from the Electronic Warfare and Radar Systems Handbook.
AN/TPX-42 IFF Test System Chassis | AN/TPX-42 IFF Data Processing Unit Chassis
AN/TPX-42 IFF Data Processing Unit Chassis | GPN-27 Radar Signal Simulator |
Left: S.A.G.E. (Semi
Automatic Ground Environment) building before FPN-47 radar was installed. This was
one of the first buildings erected at KI. 
This is a blow-up of the suspected MPN-13 mobile
radar unit that is in the background of the photo below. Clearly visible are the
X-band elevation antenna, the S-band airport surveillance radar antenna, and VHF/UHF
radio masts and antennas. The maintenance trailer is not in view, but would be sitting
in back of the operations trailer. I don't think there was a mobile RAPCON back
in 1967.
MPN-13 Radar Video
